Last time we looked at probably the main reason most rabbis reject Jesus as Mashiach, because they claim that Mashiach is supposed to usher in world peace when He arrives. Because Jesus came 2,000 years ago and there’s been war after war after war during that time, He couldn’t possibly be Mashiach.
As I mentioned last time, I’ve been using a wonderful resource to study this material at One For Israel. It’s a Messianic Jewish website that responds to, very eloquently I might add, the criticisms of the rabbis, to answer their objections and provide answers from Scripture.
We learned that yes, world peace is absolutely associated with the Messiah, but in the right time and context. We’ve been learning about the Messiah for some time now, and have learned that He’s described as being like Joseph, a suffering Messiah, as well as like David, a warrior Messiah. We know that Scripture says that Mashiach must make atonement for His people, and therefore, He couldn’t possibly be in an environment of world peace because if He was, He would never have been executed. However, at the right time, Mashiach will come and world peace will be known, but it must be at the right time and in the right context.
We learned last time that different rabbis have different opinions about the Messiah, what He’ll do and when He’ll come. It makes it very hard to come to an informed conclusion if they’re all disagreeing with each other so what does the Bible actually say. This is a huge question since many Jews rely completely on the rabbinic interpretations and declarations.
We’ve already looked at, in detail, Isaiah 52:13-15 and all of Isaiah 53, seeing a graphic picture of the suffering of Messiah. We also learned a whole lot about Messiah’s execution in Psalm 22 and also Zechariah 14. Malachi 3 also talks about Messiah coming to purify and refine His people.
Malachi 3:1-4, God said, “Behold, I’m going to send My messenger, and He’ll clear the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple; and the messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight, behold, He’s coming,” says the Lord of hosts. “But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He’s like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap. He’ll sit as a smelter and purifier of silver, and He’ll purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, so that they may present the Lord offerings in righteousness. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years.”
You know how we read about Jesus entering Jerusalem on a donkey? And you know how we read about Jesus ascending into heaven in the clouds? We read them and are amazed at all that He did and how the people around Him responded at those times.
There’s apparently a discussion in the Talmud, and apparently an argument between the rabbis because they’re debating over whether or not the Messiah is coming on a donkey or coming on the clouds of heaven. Why would they be debating over this? Well, Scripture describes both these events with regard to the life of Mashiach. Rabbis are still arguing over this to this day apparently.
Is there one Messiah? Will there two Messiahs? Will He come as one or the other depending on how Israel conducts itself? This two Messiah theory is very much the result of the ancient sages reconciling the description of two distinct profiles of Messiah and again, we’ve covered them in detail….Joseph and David. One suffering for His people, and one battling for His people. What they can’t reconcile is one Messiah fulfilling both roles, being both the suffering Messiah and the warrior Messiah.
One For Israel reveals however that among the scrolls and records discovered at Qumran – the Dead Sea Scrolls dating back to the 3rd century BC, was a statement that says this: “The Messiah will first suffer and die, but eventually will rule in triumph during the end of days.”
This statement is saying that ONE Mashiach would come, first to die and second in triumph at the end of time. One Mashiach – Two Comings. AMAZING!!!
This isn’t Scripture, its interpretation of what Scripture actually says. Messiah must suffer and atone for His people, upon rising victorious, and at the right time when all things are accomplished, Messiah will be our triumphant ruler and king. Because of all the studies we’ve been doing about Mashiach, we know that Jesus fulfilled the criteria for Mashiach ben Yosef, He came and suffered for His people, making atonement for them, and for the Gentiles who put their faith and trust in Him. We also know that the day will come when Jesus will come back, the next time as Mashiach ben Da’vid, a warrior Messiah who will defeat the nations of the world and rule the nations with a rod of iron, governing the globe in righteousness. At the very end of all things, when the earth and the heavens are made new and cleansed once and for all, there’ll be peace and a complete end of war.
Ruling with a rod of iron indicates enforced peace.
The Apostle Paul said that national rulers bear the sword to ensure peace, to deal with those break the law and to keep the peace. (Rom 13:4) They carry the sword, call that a ‘rod of iron’, to ensure peace and to keep the rebellious under control, so it may very well indicate that when Jesus rules the world during the Millennium period, He’ll most definitely be a warrior king ruling with a rod to keep the rebellious nations of the world in line, and to enforce peace. That’s an interesting thought isn’t it?
I want to finish with a quote from One For Israel, because it’s just so succinct.
“We need to remember that this is only one piece of the whole picture. Since the time that Jesus came into the world, the number of people that entered a relationship with the God of Israel has grown dramatically. According to the Old Testament, this is one of the main roles of the Messiah. Jesus succeeded where the people of Israel, who were supposed to be a light to the nations, failed: To bring many Gentiles to know the God of Israel. This is not to be taken lightly. Hundreds of millions of Gentiles who previous lived in spiritual darkness, now know the light of the Jewish Messiah, and worship the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.”
Shalom
Mandy
